Captured
by bogdansthename
Summary: Setsuna is captured while on a reconnaissance mission in the Middle East. Will his comrades make it in time to save him?
1. Chapter 1

"We have to capture one of those mobile suits and the pilot Captain. We need to know more about them." A voice said from the communicator in Captain Biggs hand.  
"I understand Sir, but I may have to use some more… Unsavory methods to get the information you need." He replied narrowing his dark eyes and flicking his ebony hair out of his face.  
"I don't care how you do it, just get it done, we need to get to them before the UN does."  
"Understood." Biggs clicked his communicator closed and turned to the red haired man next to him. "Any means necessary Al Saachez." A devilish grin spread across the face of the red haired man. He gave a small bow and left. "I have just the pilot in mind."

Meanwhile a small group of Pilots sit aboard the Ptolemaios discussing how to proceed with the armed interventions in the Middle East. "I can go and do reconnaissance." said a young man with dark hair and red eyes. "Unfortunately I think you are our only option Setsuna, anyone else would stick out too much, but that also means you will be without back up." Ms. Sumeragi sighed. There was just no choice the fastest way to end the conflict in the Middle East was to find the conservative political leader and force talks with the reformist political leader. "I'll be fine. I'll take Exia." Ms. Sumeragi nodded. Lockon look as if he wanted to object, but was stopped with a look from Sumeragi. "Alright we will stay within range so as to react better." With that Setsuna nodded and left to prepare.  
"Why are you letting him go alone?" yelled Lockon to Sumeragi.  
"Because outsiders are just not welcome in that area, you would stick out too much and compromise the mission." Lockon wheeled around and stormed out of the briefing room. The others looked to Sumeragi, "The rest of you are on standby, if war breaks out we will be required to intervene."


	2. Chapter 2

After landing in a canyon near the town where the captive political leader was suspected to be held Setsuna changed out of his flight suit and engaged Exia's cloaking device. He walked to the nearby town and at once felt as if he was back in Krugis. As he walked he noticed everyone staring at him as he passed. A young boy walked up to him, "You're not from around here are you? You look like a traveler. Are you a traveler?" The boy looked up at Setsuna with an inquisitive expression. Setsuna nodded and replied, "Something like that." The boy looked excitedly at Setsuna,  
"Is it true that there a towers that go up into space?"  
"Yes." Setsuna couldn't help, but admire the wonder in the boy's eyes. Just as an older man walked up to him, "You're a Krugis rat aren't you. I can tell from your red eyes. You should leave here and never come back." Setsuna felt nothing for what the old man said. Things still hadn't changed. He simply glared at the old man's back as he ushered the young boy away from the stranger.

Later that day Setsuna had finally made it to the coordinates that had been sent from Ptolemaios. He climbed to the top of a hill to get a better look, once at the top he was able to see a small encampment and judging by the weapons the men were carrying, a mercenary camp. He voice messaged Ptolemaios to report his findings, but just as Sumeragi picked up Setsuna heard movement from behind him. He quickly dropped the communicator and wheeled around ready to fight. Three men stood behind him holding handguns trained on him. Setsuna saw an opening and took it, lunging at the closest man he yanked his pistol from his grip and standing behind the unarmed man pointed it at the other two. They began to yell at Setsuna telling him to drop the gun, when a tall man with red hair came around the corner. "Well Krugis punk, looks like you're in a bit of a bind." Saachez smiled as he slowly pulled out his gun and pointed it at the man Setsuna was using as a shield and fired. Setsuna fell as the round passed through the man in front of him and implanted itself in his side. He kicked sand over the communicator as he struggled to get out from under the dead man's weight. "Tie him up; our client has some plans for this little punk." Setsuna struggled as the other two men grabbed at him in an attempt to restrain him. "Don't touch me!" growled Setsuna, just before receiving a blow to the back of the head. Then everything went dark.


	3. Chapter 3

Ms. Sumeragi dropped the communicator to the floor. Her mind was racing. Setsuna was not supposed to get caught, he was only supposed to gather information and that gunshot, the commanding voice said to bind him so that had to mean he was okay… for now. She ran to her screens and began coming up with a plan. They had to get Setsuna back and soon.

Setsuna woke with his hands tied above him against a wall. His head hurt and he could feel a knot where he had been struck. He moved his feet underneath him to take some weight off of his wrists, hissing through his teeth as his side flared with pain. "Careful, your wound will open young man." Setsuna looked around for the source of the voice and found and old man sitting on a mat in the corner of the small windowless room they were currently sharing. "You're the conservative leader," stated Setsuna.  
"I am, and just who are you?" replied the old man standing and grabbing a glass filled with water from the ground in front of him and walking over to Setsuna. "Setsuna F. Seiei, Gundam Meister." The old man did not react to the phrase and it made Setsuna nervous as he came closer. Setsuna shied away as the old man reached out his hand, "I mean you no harm. You should drink this, it is all I have, but if you want to survive with that wound you will need to get out of here." Setsuna turned his head towards the old man and looked him in the eye. It was then that the old man noticed their color. "My, you have been through quite a lot haven't you?" Just then the door to the room burst open and in walked Al Saachez and a man with black hair and dark eyes that Setsuna did not recognize. "So your awake Gundam Meister, I am Captain Geiger Biggs. I see you have met our other guest." Biggs says gesturing towards the old man. Setsuna simply glares at the large man in front of him. "Kids these days, they have no manners do they Al Saachez?" he turns back to Setsuna, "Usually when someone introduces themselves, you're supposed to tell them your name back." With the last word Biggs brought his fist to Setsuna's stomach, knocking the breath from him and sending sharp pains through his side. "Now let's try that again, I am Geiger Biggs, and you are?" Setsuna continued to glare. This time the fist connected with his face, splitting his lip open. Setsuna's mouth filled with the coppery taste of his own blood. He looked up at his aggressor, "I am Setsuna F. Seiei, Gundam Meister." As he finished he spit a mouthful of blood on to the floor in front of him with most of it ending up on Biggs's shoe. "Now we are getting somewhere, but you're going to pay for that." Another couple punches to the torso and two more to the face. "Where is your Gundam?" asked Biggs as he shook his hand. Setsuna doubled over with pain stood up as straight as he could and replied, "I am Setsuna F. Seiei, Gundam Meister." Al Saachez who had been leaning on the wall by the door gave a small smile, "Good, you're not going to make it easy for us, this is going to be fun."


	4. Chapter 4

"We are going to try a blitz attack, they don't have many mobile suits and they only have the one Flag on them so it should be relatively easy to get Setsuna out of there. If my theory is correct they will also be holding the conservative political leader there as well. Does everyone understand their rolls?" Ms. Sumeragi asked as the battle scenario was played on the main screen. Tieria looked up from the screen he was holding, "Wouldn't it have made more sense for them to move Setsuna to a more secure location if this was all just a rouse to capture a Gundam?"  
"It would only if they had already acquired the Gundam as well and seeing as how Exia has not moved, I have reason to believe that they haven't discovered its location from Setsuna yet." Lockon stiffened as he heard those words understanding what they meant. They meant that the kid was holding out as long as he can for help. "Then let's get a move on."  
"Alright the mission begins as soon as it gets dark." With that they all left to get ready.

How long had it been? Hours? Days even? How long had the beatings lasted for? Al Saachez and Biggs had begun to take turns supplying Setsuna with endless hours of pain. He could no longer stand and he was certain a few of his ribs had broken. His wound had begun to bleed incessantly since the beating began early that morning and it was starting to get late. Setsuna could feel the temperature drop as the suns warming rays left the sky. Their captors had left them for the night. The old man was again sitting in his corner watching Setsuna closely. "Why don't you just tell them? I don't think you can last another day of that." Without moving Setsuna replied, "You wouldn't understand. I need my Gundam to end war."  
"Honorable gesture child, but fighting only begets more fighting." They sat in silence for a while until the sound of a large explosion shook the walls of their makeshift prison. Yelling could be heard on the other side of the door and then more explosions. The old man stood up, "What could that be?"  
"Come and untie me old man, I will get us out of here." said Setsuna as he stood up straight. Something was different about the boy now; all the old man could think of was how important it was important to get out of that place to end the conflict between the two warring factions. He stepped over to Setsuna and begun pulling at the knot of ropes holding the boy against the wall. His old hands struggled to loosen the knot and more than once his hands brushed against Setsuna's and he noticed him tense up. He had a feeling a boy his age that survived Krugis must have been a child soldier, but any doubts he had were put to rest as soon as he made contact with him. A great sadness welled up inside the old man. _This poor child,_ he thought. After a few minutes the ropes came loose and Setsuna was free. His body was wracked with pain, but he had to get them out of there. He tried the door, locked. Setsuna took a step back and mentally prepared himself for the pain that would undoubtedly come, and he rammed his shoulder into the door with as much force as he could. He cried out as the door gave way. Spots danced in his vision. One of the mercenaries had been left behind to look after the prisoners. Without hesitating Setsuna leapt at the much larger man grabbing at the knife in the man's belt. The merc shot off his pistol, missing Setsuna's head by a hair's breadth. Setsuna dug the man's blade deep into his chest as flashes of his days as a child soldier passed in front of his eyes. The struggle was short lived, but had exhausted what little strength Setsuna had left. He got up from the floor and motioned for the old man to follow and they took off into the night.


	5. Chapter 5

Everything was going according to Ms. Sumeragi's plan. Tieria and Halleluiah were to drop in directly on top of the camp and target the unmanned mobile suits, while Lockon provided support from a nearby Cliffside. Unfortunately they had never surmised that there would be two flags not one and that one of the flags belonged to Al Saachez. Tieria kept the new flag, which was piloted by Biggs, busy while Halleluiah kept Al Saachez's attention with the help of Lockon. Biggs was not a pilot and soon suffered at the hands of Tieria Erde. "Lockon, Halleluiah I am going to look for Setsuna. Can you hold him long enough for that?"  
"Just hurry up and find the kid, we going to need his help on this one." growled Lockon through the comlink. Tieria dropped low to the ground and began scanning it did not take long to find Setsuna's signature heading away from the camp towards the nearby canyon. Tieria dropped down in front of the two figures and lowered the Gundam's hand to the ground. He watched as Setsuna helped an Old man onto the hand and clambered up himself. It was still too dark to get a good look at their condition through the video link, but he could still pick up the strain in Setsuna's voice over the audio. "Exia's in a canyon two miles east." Without a response Tieria takes off towards the canyon.

Once they had arrived Exia was already activated and waiting. Tieria brought them both right up to the cockpit and watched as their shadows stumbled in. A few moments later Setsuna came up on the secure channel already in his suit. Tieria could see a few bruises and a gash at the corner of Setsuna's mouth. Anger boiled up inside of Tieria, although he would never admit it. Setsuna's voice came across the channel exhausted, "I have the conservative political leader. Lockon, Halleluiah, we are on our way." Together Setsuna and Tieria made their way back to the others still fighting.

"Well, Setsuna. I can actually say I am glad to hear your voice." Lockon replied jovially shortly after finding out that Setsuna was still fit to pilot the Exia. Within moments the other two Gundams arrived causing the severely damaged flag to retreat. Before leaving Al Saachez spoke over the open channels to the Gundam Meisters, "This isn't over you Krugis punk, I will end you next time we meet." Halleluiah let out a low whistle over the channel, "Setsuna, what was that all about?"  
"It's a long story." was the only reply Setsuna could give.


	6. Chapter 6

As they made their way towards the capitol, Setsuna was finding it hard to stay awake. Every time he found himself drifting off course his comrades would question him and every time he would simply tell them that he was just tired. Sweat beaded up on his forehead as he struggled against the pain that was coursing through his body. He felt a hand on his shoulder, but was too focused on flying to shrug it off. The sun began to rise by the time they reached the outskirts of the city. Sumeragi had sent them plans for how to go about the exchange. So leaving Tieria, Lockon, and Halleluiah outside the capitol, Setsuna made his way with Exia unarmed to the Royal Palace. Switching his visor to blackout his face he landed. After a few rounds were fired at the Gundam the Exia made it way toward the balcony of the palace. Setsuna brought Exia's hand up to bridge the gap between the cockpit and the balcony and lowered the hatch. Setsuna winced as he helped the old man out of the cockpit. Grabbing hold of his side as he rocked forward slightly unsteady as his injuries took their toll. The old man turned to him just as Princess Marina broke away from her guards and ran out to them. "I'm sorry for what has happened to you child." whispered the old man as he climbed down onto the balcony. "SETSUNA!" Marina cried out as she reached the end of the balcony. Setsuna paused before closing the cockpit and turned to the Princess, "If the fighting continues, we will be back." With that Setsuna climbed into the pilot's seat and took off in Exia.

As Setsuna passed the outskirts of the city the others took off and followed close behind. The others kept a close watch as the Exia dipped and swerved the whole flight back to the Ptolemaios. No one asked, they would learn the results of Setsuna's short stay with the enemy soon enough.

Back aboard the Ptolemaios Ms. Sumeragi anxiously waited for the four pilots to return. Worry for the youngest member of the crew was gnawing at her as she watched his unsteady approach. Leaving Lasse to pilot the ship Sumeragi made her way to the Gundam Bay. She watched as each Gundam successfully landed on their assigned platforms and walked over to Exia. As the cockpit opened the other pilots made their way over as well. Setsuna slowly stood up and made his way gingerly to the steps. It was obvious he was in pretty rough shape just by the way he was moving. He came to stand in front of the others and removed his helmet. They were shocked by what they saw. It was even worse than Tieria had originally thought. Setsuna's face was badly bruised; he had a gash over his right eye as well as the gash on the corner of his mouth. He leaned back against the rail in an effort to stay upright and that was when they noticed the dark stain that had started to bloom on his left side just above his hip. No one made a move to touch him, all of them knowing how he would react to the contact. "Setsuna you need to go to the infirmary, you may give me your report after you are seen by Moreno." Ms. Sumeragi tried to sound authoritative, but softened as soon as she saw Setsuna grab the railing to steady himself. He nodded and turned to leave but started to collapse as soon as he stepped forward. Lockon and Halleluiah managed to catch him before he crashed to the floor. They each threw an arm around their shoulders and half carried, half lead the barely conscious Setsuna to the Infirmary. As they walked away Tieria turned to Ms. Sumeragi, "That man was there, the one that Setsuna told us about after he left his Gundam during a fight." Ms. Sumeragi nodded and left the same way as the others, leaving Tieria to his thoughts.


	7. Chapter 7

Lockon and Halleluiah lowered Setsuna onto one of the tables in the infirmary as Joyce Moreno ran around gathering up water, antiseptic, bandages, and needle and thread. They had yet to finish building the cell regenerator and she was mentally kicking herself for not having it done yet. "I need you to help him out of his flight suit." She ordered the other two pilots. They shared expressions of embarrassment for their young comrade, but the feeling was short lived as they started to remove it from his torso. The feelings of embarrassment were replaced with feelings of anger and hatred towards the people who had hurt Setsuna. Lockon's eyes widened as he revealed a large black and blue welt extending from just below his armpit down to his stomach and spreading to his back. The skin was broken in a few places, but none so bad as the wound on his left side. Dr. Moreno was paying especially close attention to it as the ship gave a sudden jolt and the exhausted Setsuna winced at the movement. Setsuna was fighting to keep conscious. He could see the look on Lockon's face when they removed the suit from his torso. He felt warm hands on his left side gently pressing around the wound. He made an attempt to move away from the contact, but failed as his strength gave out. Just then the ship gave a jolt and Setsuna's body screamed with pain. He could hear Sumeragi's voice over the intercom telling them they were being attacked, that about to make a break for space, and for everyone to hold on. Stars bloomed behind Setsuna's eyelids as the ship gave another shudder. He could hear voices, but they were too far away for him to understand.

"The bullet is still in his side, I have to remove it, but Setsuna doesn't have enough time for me to commence surgery." Dr. Moreno announced to the others in the room. Lockon and Halleluiah exchanged looks. "What do you need from us?"  
"I am going to need you to hold him still." She replied as she grabbed a small blade from the tray next to her. Halleluiah's heart was in his throat, "What! Now!?"  
"Yes, right now." Ms. Sumeragi's voice came over the comlink next to Dr. Moreno,  
"Joyce, what is Setsuna's condition?"  
"Not good, we have to get this bullet out now and stop the bleeding and we can't do that with the ship moving around as much as it is." As if to answer the ship's shuddering slowed and eventually stopped as the Ptolemaios left the atmosphere. Ms. Sumeragi left Lichty at the helm and went to the infirmary with Feldt and Mileina following close behind.  
Setsuna's breathing was shallow and sweat dripped from his forehead as Lockon and Halleluiah positioned themselves on either side of the table. "I am really sorry about this Setsuna, but I have to get it out." said Dr. Moreno in a gentle soothing voice. She looked to the other pilots who nodded and placed their hands on each shoulder and bleeding wrist. "Okay here it goes." Just as Sumeragi arrived at the window to the infirmary Setsuna gave a gut wrenching scream. Feldt covered her ears and began to cry. Lockon and Halleluiah fought to keep the young man still, but even in his weakened stated Setsuna's lean cordlike muscles fought against their grip. "I almost have it, just a little longer Setsuna." Setsuna's back arched and his chest heaved as he struggled. "There, I've got it. Everything is going to be okay now." Dr. Moreno quickly mopped up the new flow of blood from the wound and set to work cleaning it. Setsuna's eyes opened slightly as she began stitching the wound closed. Lockon was the first to notice, "Setsuna? Setsuna can you hear me?" Setsuna gave a small nod. "What the hell man, you get to go on a solo mission and you come back all beat to hell." Dr. Moreno moved around to his left side to get a better look and the large bruise. She gently pressed her hand against the dark area and as she did Setsuna quickly swatted her hand away and grabbed her wrist to prevent her from touching him again. "Setsuna, I have to this is for your own good." He let go and looked up at the ceiling. He cried out as she continued her palpation of his injuries. Each of the pained sounds that Setsuna made tore at Ms. Sumeragi's heart strings. She cared for everyone on her crew, but none so much as Setsuna. He was the youngest by far and she felt the need to protect him because of that. Lockon and Halleluiah left to join Ms. Sumeragi at the window giving Dr. Moreno the space she needed to work. "Well it looks like five maybe six broken ribs, won't know for sure unless we get access to a scanner, but as long as he doesn't move around too much they should heal in a few weeks." She then had Lockon come and sit Setsuna up while she tightly bond his chest with bandages, by then Setsuna had finally lost consciousness and was easier to treat. So she set to work looking over and cleaning the more minor injuries. After hours of pouring over Setsuna's many injuries she strapped him down so he wouldn't fall from the table and left. The others had left earlier and were all on the mess deck sitting around a table with various beverages in front of them. Dr. Moreno sat down and gave them all a tired wave. "He'll be okay as long as we can keep the fever under control, but I will let you know he is in pretty bad shape. He won't be piloting the Exia for a while." Ms. Sumeragi looked up from her beer with slightly watery eyes and said that they would be taking a small break anyway and that it would be good for all of them to rest for a while.


End file.
